Keyed automatic gain control



Ap 8, 1953 F. A. wlssEL ETAL KEYED AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL Filed June 30, 1949 INVENTOR. FRANCIS A. WISSEL NORMAN w PARKER BY ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT 0 F F I .CE

cinnati, Ohio, assignors to Avco Manufacturing Corporation, Cincinnati, Qhio,.a corporation of Delaware Application June Ia'O, 1949,fSefiizizl-NonIUZiHLB 4 vClaims. 1 a

The present invention is a novel automatic gaincontrol (AGO) circuit for television'receivers.

number of .AGC circuits=have'been developed, andresearchin this fleldihas been very active. It has been directed to the finding of an eiiicient AGC system with goodbrightness-stability, freedcrn drom fliclce'rrn'ormallycaused by line voltage fluctuations, a high degree of immunity from noise interierence, and easy adaptability to use in conventional television receivers, with a minimum loss in gainand handwith and a minimum cost. The present invention is directed to those objectives.

It is caniobject of the present invention to pro vide atfast-AGC circuit Whichreduces and substantially:eliminatestheeiiects of fast fading and interference normally caused by passing airplanes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an AGC circuit which .rnaintains the video output signals at an optimum level for sync signal separation.

A primary :objectoi the invention is to provide an AGC circuit of "the type which .uses a triode pulserectifier or equivalentfor purposes ofamplification, together with associated circuit elementswhich cause the development of AGC potentials as applied to 'the eontrolled stages to he delayed-until'the rectifier plate current-is ofsuliieient magnitude that the amplifier is operating under conditions of high gain. The expression .triode as usedin the specificationandzin the claimsappended hereto intended to designate not only "the type of electron tube which. is technically known as a triode, but also any electron tube of the type whichincludes-at least-a cathode, an anode, and a control electrode. This-expression "will therefore be understood to include tetrodes, pentodes and the like;

:Aiurther ocject'of the present-invention is to provide an amplified automatic.gaincontrol circuit which utilizes grid current --liiniting :in the amplifier-stagecin such a may that theiregion icetween sync signal 'pulse ipeaks and grid current i'low is so small that the amplifier operationis -not admerselyaficoted byestremelylarge noise pulses.

particularly important ohj'ectoftheinvem tion is :to provide "an automatic gain control-circuit of substantially ideal character which does not affect television receiver amplification .until the incoming carrier signal reaches :a =level sufficient to produce "an adequate voltage at 1 the c input a-oi the second detector, and which vvith larger signals maintains theoutput-relatively constant.

smother DbjEQtiCiT the invention :is toaprovide an automatic gain control systemiof sthe'lzeyed type,

mpl ying n triode pulse rectifier ,so arranged that at [the threshold ('lin the instant at which the li putLsigna-l ilevel Joecomes {so great that the automatiogain control potential ybecomes efiective) -the pulse rectifier lis-operating iniaregionof very 4 high gain, {as .distinguished ,from conventional systemszatrwhichathe pulse rectifier iisvoperating nearvcut-oif, isolthat the AGO potential is developed-at =lo.w gain-ias soon :as ccniduction occurs. Ehepulse rectifier isioperating;underlcomditions -oi highgain in the sense that the D. output voltageis verysensitiveto changes in peak pulse input level. IPhe rectifier {functions to measure land amplifylthe peakiinput level.

;It is also an @object :of the present invention to provide an automatic gain control circuit which {has zsuch "excellent internal .gain ,characteristics that lit (may be [controlled ,from' the output of "the video detector to lopera-te at detector voltage .levcls, permitting :the use of only one stage of video amplification, and therebyteffecting substantial economiestin the production of low cost television-receivers.

A further \oloj ecti of ,the invention is s to provide an automatic gain 1 control circuit in which [the tube conventionally referred to as the amplifier tube adoes. not require-the biasing'of its grid and cathode at B,potential," this-requirementbeing characteristic :of DC noupled amplifiers vand occasioning disadvantages ,and limitations wellknown .to the :,art, such. as ,instabilitysusceptibility to supply voltage fluctuations, special insulation problems, and additionalfilamentcircuitry.

:For .a better understanding. of thevpresent invention, .togethe r lvvith otherand further objects, advantages and capabilities cthereoi, reference is made -.to the iollowingldescriptioni of the. accompanying draw n in ,Wl'liCh there :is shown a. preferredzillustrativerform of.AG,C systemin accordance .With' theinventiom. aslembodiedlin, a. television receiver. I

In the drawing, the sin le ngure ,is a circuit schematic partilyiin blockiorm, showinga preferred form of my AGC system as adaptedufor useiwith a-television.receiver. I

In accordance with the invention, as narrowly viewed .for iexplanatory purposes, )there .is provided: I

Amautomatic gain oontrollsystem for use with a-televlsioirreceiven ofrthe type. including, againcontrolled .videolchannel (l2, ,l8,re,t,c ,a Video detector lB, etc.). and La dine-frequency deflection system (80, i539, 1818, I.l}3,-etc,.) providing a source of Aline-frequency pulses, comprising the combination ofran-electrontube 035) having anode, cathode and-grid: electrodes"for plateerectifying said pulses, means; including .a series ,grid resistor I316) il -aving a value high with respect to the cathode-grid impedance of said tube (when the grid is positive with respect to the cathode) for coupling said detector to the grid circuit of said tube, so as to apply to said circuit the detected signal, a source (C) of fixed negative bias for said grid, said detector and coupling means and bias source being so arranged that the peaks of the synchronizing signal components render said tube conductive and that the region between those peaks and the grid circuit limiting condition is very narrow, whereby noise peaks extending in the direction of and beyond said synchronizing component peaks are limited, an inductance (I3!) coupled to said line-frequency pulse source for applying to said anode said pulses of line-frequency, resistor means (I39, I48) effectively in series with said inductance for applying to said anode a fixed positive bias and differentially combining said positive bias and the rectified pulses appearing at said anode, the output potential of the last-mentioned resistor means being positive with respect to ground at zero video signal level and becoming less positive and finally negative as the video signal level is increased, a shunt capacitor (i313) cooperating with said resistor means to form a short time-constant filter for said rectified pulses, means in shunt with said difierential-combining resistor for applying said output to the controlled stages as an amplified AGC potential only when it is of negative polarity, comprising a series combination of a diode (Hi3) and a resistor (Nil) having a value great with respect to the resistance of said diode, one terminal of said resistor being connected to said difierential-combining resistor means, whereby the plate rectification current of said electron tube has substantially departed from the cut-off condition into a region of high gain when said output is applied to the controlled stages, and a capacitor (H52) in shunt with said diode and cooperating with the last-named resistor to form a long time-constant filter for said output potential.

The scope of the invention is as indicated in the appended claims. Subject matter disclosed but not claimed herein is covered in our cop-ending patent application Serial No. 321,882, filed November 21, 1952, entitled Automatic Gain Control and assigned to the assignee of the present application and invention.

The specific description begins with a brief explanation of a typical channel which is controlled by the automatic gain control circuit in accordance with the invention. In the present illustrative disclosure, the novel automatic gain control circuit is shown as incorporated in a superheterodyne television receiver of the intercarrier sound type. This receiver includes the usual antenna, and a tuner having antenna input and oscillator modulator stages (not herein shown).

The intermediate frequency video carrier signals in this receiver are applied through a coupling capacitor I I to the input circuit of an I. F. amplifier tube l2, the grid of this tube bein returned to an automatic gain control line [3 through a resistor M, the cathode of this tube being connected to a biasing resistor [9. This first I. F. stage is coupled, as by an inductor l5 and a capacitor H, to the input circuit of a second I. F. stage including an electron tube It, which is similarly provided with a grid resistor l0 and a cathode impedance 2i) and is coupled to the input of a third I. F. stage as by an inductor 2| and a capacitor 22. The third I. F. stage comprises an electron tube 23, the cathode of which is biased by a resistor 24, by-passed by a capacitor 25. This stage is similarly coupled, as by an inductor 26 and a capacitor 2'5, to the input of a fourth and final I. F. stage consisting of an electron tube 28, the cathode of which is connected to a biasing resistor 29, by-passed by a capacitor 32. Plate and screen potentials for these tubes are furnished from a source of space current (not shown) coupled to a filter network comprising series resistors and shunt capacitors designated by the reference numerals SI, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 31, 38, 39, and 2B. The filter section indicated by the reference numerals 4i, #2, and 43 provides anode potentials for the R. F. input oscillator and modulator stages (not shown).

The final I. F. stage is coupled, as by an inductor 45, a capacitor 46, and an inductor 52, to a conventional detector network comprising a diode 48 and other circuit elements, the purpose of which is to produce a flat video response characteristic throughout a wide range of frequencies of from approximately cycles to more than four megacycles. Specifically, this detector includes a, network consisting of a load resistor 49, a capacitor 59, a shunt peaking inductor 5|, and series peaking inductor 53, the latter being shunted by a damping resistor E l and connected to the grid of a single tube included in a video frequency amplifying stage. A variable cathode bias is provided for contrast control purposes, degeneration being adjusted as desired. The screen is by-passed by a capacitor 51, and the anode output is taken ofi through a series peaking circuit, comprising a parallel combination of an inductor 6i! and a damping resistor 6i, and a resonant circuit, comprising a parallel combination of inductor 58 and capacitor 59, and a coupling capacitor 62 connected to the grid of a cathode ray picture tube 63. The anode of the video amplifier has a load comprising a series combination of an inductor 64 and a resistor 65, leading to a source of space current not shown. The direct current reinserting circuit comprises a grounded-grid triode 55 having its cathode coupled to the lower end of coil 64 through a capacitor 6? and a resistor 12 and having its plate connected to the lower end of resistor 65 through a resistor 63. The cathode-anode circuit of triode 66 is shunted by a series combination of resistors 69 and iii. As is well-known to those skilled in the art, a direct current component which is a measure of the over-all illumination appears at the cathode of tube Eli and is applied to the grid of the picture tube through a resistor H. D. C. restorer networks of this general character are shown and described in a number of publications, including U. S. Patent No. 2,240,281, issued to R. C. Ballard on April 29, 1941.

In the foregoing description, and in fact throughout this disclosure, wave traps, filters, iron cores, and other elements which need not be shown in order to illustrate or to disclose or describe the present invention or an appropriate background for the invention are omitted for purposes of simplicity and clarity, so far as possible.

The above-described elements which begin with the reference numeral l0 and end with the reference numeral 12 collectively show the channel which is controlled and the significant elements of that channel between the tuner and the picture tube. In brief, these elements show that which is controlled by the AGC system in accordance with the invention. It will be understood that *theiinvention is not confined to ithis specific type of controlled channel but may beutilized in any television receiver environment wherein AG-C desired.

This automatic gain control is of the "keyed andthe description nowproceedmto a discu ion 4 the arrangement 1 by which the keying pu, s are developed.

The horizontal and vertical synchronizing pulses are applied, as bya conductor l5, f'r'om the anode of the grounded gridD. CLrestore'r and sync se arator-"stage to a conventional synchronizing signalseparator "i ll, herein shown in block iornnthis unit performing 'the usual function of separatingthe vertical pulses frointhe horizontal pulses. rl terminal ll of the separator network it is connected to the verticaldefiection-system, which need'notbe shown herein'for purposesof describing the present invention.

' The illustrativehorizontal'system herein shown comprises a blocking oscillator with automatic pulse 'width'control. Thehorizontal syrlchroni ing pulses are appliedwith'positive'polarity from terminal it oi'the synchronizing-signal'separator through a coupling capacitor it to the-gridof a triode" High voltage negative pulses obtained frcin'the horizontal deflection system are partially integrated and attenuated by a network cor. iprising series resistor 8 ll series capacitor 82,

and adjustable shunt capacitor 83, and'arealso applied to thegrid oftubedli. Pulses oi'athird wave shape are obtained from the discharge capacitor and integrated by a network comprising resistor 85 and'shunt capacitor 83 to form parabolic wave shapes. Tube 'tilis the control tube and is biased near'cut-ofi by the D. C. component of the'blocking 'oscillatorgri'd voltage applied'through' resistors 86 and't'l. The plate current of tube 80 consists essentially of pulses the width of which is determined'by the l sistors Eli and tit are relatively large. The fast time-constant network tends to prevent hunting, while the slow time-constant network filters out disturbances of greater duration.

The plate of the control tube is by-passedbya capacitor and connected to the anode voltage line at through a potentiometer 91. The "automatic pulse width control circuit isfully described in the article entitled Automatic frequencyphase control of television sweep circuits, Proceedings of the "I. 19%, page 497 et'seq .,'volume 37, l lo. 5, published by the Institute of Radio Engineers, NewYork, May 1949. Referenceis made to this publication for a complete description-"of the automatic pulse width control circuit.

The plate current "flow of tube 85 passing through the cathode resistor lit, controlsthegrid circuit timeconstant of'the blocking oscillator tube tlii'to produce synchronization, this resistor as being common to the grid circuit of blocking oscillator tube "t9 and the time-constant --circuit d comprising capacitor r99, resistor '90, and re sistori88.

The iblocking oscillator circuit comprises a triod'e'ilfi, an'auto-transformer or inductor IUD arranged ina series combination with capacitor 99 coupled between plate and grid, and .a discharge capacitor 36 effectively coupled lbetween a tap 'llli on the auto-transformer and ground. A resonant "circuit comprising a parallel combination of 1 an in'ducto'r I112, a capacitor "l 63, and a damping resistor I04 is interposed between this tap andthe high potential terminal of capacitor 84. Plate voltage is supplied to the blocking oscillator 'througl' a circuit 1 comprising lead 96, dropping resistor I05, inductor H12, tap I0 I ,and a part of auto-transformer lllll. The sawtooth voltages employed for horizontal deflection are developed across discharge capacitor 84, tube 39 functioning not only as a blocking oscillatortube but also as "a dischargetube, as described in'the aforeementioned article in the May 1949 issue of Proceedihgs ofthe'l.REE.

The discharge capacitor 'is coupled, as by a capacitor Hi6 and a grid resistor ml, to the "grid of a horizontal'output amplifier tube I08, the latter beingprovidedwith a cathode resistor :89 lay-passed by a capacitor I Hi. The output of this amplifier stage is coupled by a transformer-network H2-II5 .to the deflecting coils HI, and the current'waves appearing in the plate circuit of this amplifier tube are employed to produce periodically recurringsawtooth currents of'line frequency in-coils l l l, thereby to defiect'the electrcnic'bea'm in the picture tube at line frequency.

The system intercoupling the horizontal output tube and the deflection yoke willbe understood'by reference to the following patents and publications: Kiven'Television Simplified, pages 207-213, second edition, ,1948, "D. Van Nostrand, 1110., New York; .U. S. Patent No. 2,440,418, Tourshou. Reference to those publications is made for a'detailed description of this network. Briefly, however, the primary H2 of the 'horizontal output transformer is coupled to a secondary H3 comprising series .portio'ns EM and l iii, of which portion H5 is coupled across the yokecircuit Ill, H6. It willlbe understood that the coils ill'form part of a yoke assembly encircling the neck of the cathode ray image reproducing tube63.

The voltage variations applied to the control electrodeiof power tube its produce a rising current in tube Hi3 during scansion, which current is out off at the beginning of retrace time. he current in the deflection coils iii and the horizcntal output transformer does not disappear at the instant of cut-off of tube ltd, however, duet-o the inherent distributed capacity of thecircuit. The inductance of these coils and the transformer, together with the above-mentioned distrilouted capacity, forms a tuned circuit in which high frequency oscillations would normally be produced. These oscillations begin with the start of retrace time and continue for one-half or the normalperiod of oscillation, the oscillation being stopped at the'negative current peak by a series combinationoi a diode Hi3 and a capacitor its connected across the secondary 55.. lhe polarities immediately following retrace are such that damper tube H8 conducts and continues to conduct until tube hit again becomes conductive. Thevoltage developed across capacitor H 9 is such as to increase or boost the voltage oi the D. C. powersource (not shown) connected toterininal All. It will be noted that anode potentia1 line :96

is connected to this terminal through a series circuit comprising resistor IZI, capacitor ,I I9, and line I22, to supply anode potential to tubes 80 and 89. The plate of tube I08 is connected to terminal I20 through primary II2, inductor I23, capacitor H9, and lead I22, to supply anode potential to tube I08.

The primary winding I I2 of the horizontal output transformer is connected to a capacitor I24 in such a manner that a varying voltage is developed across capacitor I24, which voltage is applied to capacitor II9 through an inductor I23, for purposes of linearity control.

For purposes of width control, there is connected in shunt with portion I I4 of secondary I I3 an inductor I125. The operation of the Width control is well-known to those skilled in the art and is considered in such publications as U. S. Patent 2,449,969 to Wright.

The horizontal output transformer also includes a winding I29 having two portions, I 30 and I3I, and a tap 632, the winding I20 being inductively coupled to the primary and secondary windings.

The elements beginning with the reference numeral I and ending with the reference numeral I32 are herein shown for the purpose of disclosing an illustrative source of keying pulses employed in the automatic gain control system in accordance with the invention. It will be understood that the keying pulse source collectively designated by the reference numerals beginning with and ending with I32 is illustrative and that other arrangements for deriving keying pulses from the horizontal deflecting system may be employed.

Having described the channel which is controlled and the circuit arrangements which function as a source of keying pulses for the automatic gain control system in accordance with the present invention, the description now proceeds to the latter.

The automatic gain control circuit in accordance with the invention comprises the following principal components:

First, a pulse rectifier stage comprising a triode I35, the control electrode of which is coupled to the video detector load resistor 49 by a network comprising a series resistor I38 and a shunt capacitor I37;

Second. a short time-constant R. C. network in the anode circuit of tube I35, comprising a parallel combination of capacitor I38 and series resistors I39, I40, the junction point being connected to this anode through portion I3I of winding I29;

Third, a long time-constant network comprising a series resistor IM and a shunt capacitor I42 Fourth, a diode clamping circuit including a tube I43;

Fifth, a source of positive biasing potential effectively inserted in series with the plate of triode I35, this potential being developed across resistor E40, one terminal of which is grounded, the other terminal of which is in circuit with the anode, the circuit being traced through conductor I44, portion I3I of winding I and conductor I45. The junction of resistors I39 and I40 is accordingly connected through a resistor I46 to a source of anode voltage (not shown), the presence of which is indicated in conventional fashion by an arrow.

A voltage divider network comprising resistor I4! (connected to a direct current Voltage source) and cathode resistor I43 is provided in order to compensate for contact potential in diode I43.

The input admittance of tube I is neutralized by a capacitor I50, which couples the plate and grid circuits of tube I35 in such a Way that the current passing through it is of the proper amplitude and phase to neutralize the effect of the current flowing between the plate and grid circuits of tube I35 via the grid-plate capacitance. The voltage at the end of winding portion I30 connected to capacitor I50 is in phase opposition to the voltage at the end of winding portion I3I connected to the plate of tube I35.

The voltage across the neutralizing inductance I30 causes the grid of tube I35, connected to capacitor I50, to receive a current which neutralizes energy transfer through the tube capacitance, as explained by Terman, Radio Engineering, pages 367 et seq., third edition, 1947, McGraw-Hill Book Co, Inc., New York, New York.

It will be seen that winding portion I3I is in series with the plate circuit of pulse rectifier I35 and serves as a source of positive pulses (developed during retrace) of line frequency which periodically key triode I35 into conductivity. The triode plate-rectifies into the short time-constant network comprising resistors I39, I40, and capacitor I38.

A damping circuit comprising a series combination of a resistor I49 and a capacitor I5I is provided between center tap I32 and ground to prevent hunting of the AGC level.

This circuit has several desirable characteristics which are not found together in conventional AGC systems:

First, a fast time constant, whereby the system is effective in overcoming the adverse effects of rapid level variations, such as airplane flutter;

Second, a gain so high that a signal level change of 4000 to 1 does not substantially alter the video output level, once the level is such as to overcome the delay;

Third, an exceedingly sharp threshold, which affords good delayed AGC action, providing maximum gain at very low input signal levels and a relatively constant output at voltages above threshold.

This circuit is of the keyed type. There are derived control pulses which are a function of the amplitude of the derived synchronizing signal components of the video signal output of the detector. The control pulses are taken from the video detector and are applied to the grid of tube I35 by the network comprising resistor 49, resistor I36, and capacitor I31. Resistor I36 isolates capacitor I3'I from the video channel including elements 54, 53. It will be noted that the grid of tube I35 is D. C. coupled to the detector, so that the D. C. component of the video signal is not lost. Resistor I36 and capacitor I3'I provide a filter which cuts off at approximately kilocycles, thereby discriminating against noise and interference. It is desirable that the filter comprising the elements I3t and I31 have a cut-off characteristic such that the synchronizing pulse components derived by the video detector and appearing at the output thereof are applied with substantially full amplitude to the input of tube I35, although distortion as to the wave forms of these pulses is desired. In other words, the network I36 and I31 should discriminate against high frequency noise and in doing so will somewhat distort the wave shapes. The object of the filter I36, I31 is to apply these pulses to the grid of tube I35 with the optimum signal to noise ratio. The fundamental frequency of these pulses being on the order of 15,000 cycles, a filter having a high frequency cut-off characteristics of 150 i-locycl s has-beenfound; entirely; satisf c o Theouthut of such afilter-contains the necessary;

information concerning; the peak height; of the synchronizing, signals; Any increase in band width over that required toindicate-suchheisht would: reduce discrimination against noise and" serve no useful purpose. Resistor H3151} also: pro.-

videsgrid circuitclipping, intuba I35, of lar impulse. noise pulses of; positive polarity.- This. series grid. resistor l3-ii is very. large compared tothe grid toecathode resistance of tubev I35 when grid current flows, so that theinputsignal: to tube l35'islimited to the voltage leveliof the. When noise pulses tend to,

grounded cathode; cause the gridof tube. I 35 to become-positive withrespect to the cathode, the grid-tocathode1resistance drops to a negligible value with respect to that of resistor ltfi'and the grid current fiOW' in resistor I36 develops a: bias which opposes the positive noise pulses.

As stated above, the control pulses; areapplied to the input circuit o-f tubel3i5 to develop an ame plified AGO potential:

positive polarity applied to the plate circuit of; tube H35. Thesepulsesare developed, during retrace intervals, in- Winding I31, included in the horizontal output transformer. Winding Mr is included in a series circuit comprising the anode of tube I35, line I45, winding l3l, line 144 and the parallel combination ofcapacitor I38 and resistors I32; MU.

Tube i 35 is periodically keyedinto conductivity to develop, by plate rectification, across resistors 539, ME], an amplifiedAGC potential. Thepulses applied to the; anodebeing constant, the plate current pulses of tube I3 5 of negative polarity, are a function of;-thesamplitude of thegrid voltage peaks, which are in turn a functionqof the;

line-frequency synchronizing signal amplitude the latter being a. function of video signaloutput level at the cletecton The AGO system inaccord ance with theinvention is particularly insensitive to noise in thatthe. amplified AQC potentialis developed during phase coincidence of the pulses applied to grid-and plate of tube I35, whichpulses occupy but a verysmall total time as compared to the durationoi': one line, for example. During the remaining major time portions, the" system is entirely immune-from noiseinterferenca The inventionsuccessfully solves two problems which arise in; keyed: systems First, it prevents the application. of AGO potentials to. the; controlled stages soon; as, conduction occurs in tri-cde ltd; second; itoperatesinsucha way-that the gain of tube t35is very. high, WhenAGrG potential is applied. to tubes i2, iii... Forthesepuw poses, there isaplaced in. the output. networkofjj tube 235 a source of positive bias, whichicauses the potential between pointv X and. ground; (X being the junction otiresistors idiland. I .41) tobe positive until the voltage drop accompanying pulse-rectificationplate current ofitube I35, flowing through resistors E39 and- Mii, reaches such, a value that; the potential of pointX- becomes;

negative. AGC potential is then applied'to the controlled stages (tubes iZ-and 18, for example). Negative AGE) potential is-not developed between point X and groundas soon-as-tubeiiii: becomes conductive. Itis developed only-When the-voltage produced bytheplatecurrent new of tube I35 across resistor I33 is sufiicient to-overcomethe positive voltage, across resistor Hill; The junction of resistors. I39 and [40- is' connected through a resistor M6 to a source ct -positivebias This is accomplished by" plate rectification of- 'the line frequencypulsesof' 1 between point Bland ground.

constant network is helpful in eliminating the. effects ofnoise pulses in thatthe-cifect of noise n0t:shown Thenetwork M6, etc issimply a,

means for placing a source of positive anode voltage in series with-the tube l35 and thenet Workl39, MB causes that voltage to he differene tially combinedwith the rectified pulsevoltage Itis known that thegain of a triode tube, or equivalent, such as tube 435, is low when operatingnear cut-off: That is the reasonwhy priorart systems, which operate the pulse rectifying. triodein'the cut-01f region, possess relatively low gain. In those: systems AGC potential is developed as soon-as the triode becomes conductive. In accordance; with the present invention, AGO, potential is not applied to the controlled stage until a substantial amount of current is flowing. in thetr iode-plate circuit, under which condition. thetriodeis; operating at high gain.

Ashorttirne c nstant circuit is employed in the plate clrcuit Offillbfi 935. It comprises capacitor I38, in, parallelwiththe series combinaticnoi resistors his, between conductor-its (plate of tube i353 and ground. T,..;s timerconstant.

circuitper nits;alast recovery or large percentage of current decay in a horizontal line interval.

The time constantch cuit comprising elements fiss res, and. Mt, viewed from the standpoint of noise; should be asshort as possible in order to:

minimizethe energy stored by noise pulses. From, thisv point of View time constant of; one line. would bedesirabie. However, the average voltage. produced bythe output of; tube l tfipincreases with.

a, longer time constant, which resultsin increased gain. A, time ccnstant equal-to 25 lines has been found satisfactory, where maximum gain is, sought, although this time-constant may go down.

low as e or 5 lines- While still. attaining, a rea sonahlecomprcmisebetween maximum gain and insensitivity to noise. The expression shorttimeconstant circuit? asused herein is, limitedto a circuit having a time constant of betweene, and;

2,5 horizontallines ,in;duration. This short times constant circuit is followed by a long timeconstant circuit comprising a'series combination of; a resistor'i-fl l and; aoapacitor i 52, connected The long timepulses is spread over a lon period of time, their energycontent being-small with respect. to the energy content of the pulses purposely applied to the grid and-plate ortube The time constant. ofthe-networkcomprising elements i i-i, M2, M9, and Ill! from the standpoint of ideal theory should not be shorter; than theperiod of one vere tical field. It should not be so long as to impair by the elements lie? in the control circuit areawell-knotvn to those skilled inthe art. .t will be understood that any; automatic gain controlled receiver is-essentially capableof, undesired oscillation, in. that the channel which. is;

controlled indicates its response to the order ofthe gain controlcircuit which accomplishessthecontrol. This. response is indioated" to the gain control circuit" so that the. gain: control, circuit and the channel which is controlled together constitute a feedback loop. It is characteristic of any feedback loop that at some frequency there is a phase coincidence between order and response. It is the object of the network I49, I! to make the gain of the feedback loop a minimum at this hunting frequency, without disturbing the essential operation and function of the gain control circuit.

Shunted between the junction of capacitor I42 and resistor MI and ground is a diode I43, its plate being connected to that junction. The diode is provided with a cathode resistor I48, the high potential side of which is connected through a resistor I41 to the positive terminal of a source of potential (not shown), the purpose of which is to cause to flow in resistor I48 a current of positive polarity and a voltage drop of suflicient magnitude to overcome the contact potential of the diode I43. The term contact potential is wellknown to those skilled in the art, and this phenomenon is discussed at pages 8 and 9 of Reichs Theory and Application of Electron Tubes, second edition, McGraW-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1944. It has been noted that when the incoming carrier signal level is low, point X is at a positive potential. A positive potential therefore exists between point X and ground, over the series circuit comprising resistor I4 I, diode I43, and resistor I48, so that the diode is conductive when point X is positive. The diode resistance, however, is so small with respect to that of resistor I4I that the potential drop across the diode is very small. Therefore, under this assumed condition of low signal strength, point Y, the diode plate, is essentially at ground potential, and no AGC voltage is applied to the controlled stages.

As the carrier signal level increases, the plate current pulses of tube I35 increase, and point X falls to ground potential, at which time the automatic gain control threshold is attained. At this time tube I35 is operating with very high gain at a point removed from cut-off,'and diode I43 becomes non-conductive since the potential at point X is going negative. As the carrier signal level continues to increase, point X becomes more ne ative and the amplified AGC potential appearing across capacitor I42 and applied to the controlled stages increases. This potential is filtered by the network comprisin capacitor I42 and series resistor I53. The filter I53, I54 filters the AGC potential applied to tube I8, and the AGC potential applied to tube I2 is further filtered by the combination of series resistor I55 and shunt capacito I5.

The AGC conductor l3 may, if desired, be continued to the tuner stages (not shown) in order that AGC potential may be applied thereto.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that it assures further immunity against noise by reason of the fact that the synchronizing signal pulse peaks, as applied to tube I35, are very close to the zero bias level, whereby a narrow region exists between the peaks of these pulses and the grid current limiting condition, so that noise pulses superimposed on the synchronizing pulses cause very little disturbance. In other words, the action of tube I35 is very fast in limiting noise peaks. On the other hand, in accordance with another important feature of the invention, AGC potentials are not actually applied to the controlled stages until the received carrier signals attain a predetermined level. Before such level is attained, tube I35 has already become conductive and reached a point of emcient operation, so that in this sense the tube circuit is effectively slow in developing AGC potential. As indicated above, the derived synchronizing signal components are applied to the input of tube I35. The grid of that tube is biased from a source of negative potential, indicated by the expression C, in such a way that the positive going synchronizing signal peaks extend to a level near zero bias. The region between these peaks and grid-circuit limiting is so narrow that positive going noise pulses have a very limited range of action between the synchronizing signal peaks and the grid current flow region. As soon as the noise peaks reach the grid-circuit limiting level, the grid circult of tube I35 becomes conductive, and the grid circuit limiting occasioned by the high grid resistor I36 very effectively cuts ofi; the noise peaks. The noise peaks do not in theory have to be insured against unless they occur in coincidence with the keying pulses applied to the plate of tube I35. Under normal conditions these keying pulses are in coincidence with the synchronizing pulses applied to the grid of tube I35. The circuit in accordance with the present invention not only provides the advantages of the keyed system, wherein there is insensitivity to asynchronous noise, but the invention further provides the above-described clipping of synchronous noise.

The following circuit parameters have been found satisfactory in one successful embodiment of the present invention:

Capacitor II 100 mmf. Capacitor I5 0.005 mfd. Resistor I4 10,000 ohms. Resistor I0 82 ohms. Resistor 82 ohms. Tubes I2, I8, 23 Type 6AU6. Capacitor I1 100 mmf. Capacitor 22 100 mmf. Resistor 24 82 ohms. Capacitor 25 5000 mmf. Capacitor 21 100 mmf. Resistor I55 5600 ohms. Resistor I5! 10,000 ohms. Resistor 29 68 ohms. Capacitor 30 5000 mmf. Capacitor 5000 mmf. Resistor 38 100 ohms. Capacitor 39 5000 mmf. Resistor 35 100 ohms. Capacitor 31 5000 mmf. Resistor 35 1100 ohms. Capacitor 34 5000 mmf. Resistor 33 100 ohms. Resistor 32 100 ohms. Capacitor 3I 5000 mmf. Capacitor 46 100 mmf. Tube 28 Type 6AG5. Tube 48 Type 6AL5. Resistor 49 5600 ohms. Capacitor I58 5000 mmf. Capacitor 50 5 mmf. Resistor 54 22,000 ohms. Tube 55 Type 6AG5. Resistor 5B 39,000 ohms. Resistor 5| 22,000 ohms. Capacitor 5'! 4mfd. Capacitor 62 0.05 mfd. Resistor I2 2200 ohms. Capacitor 61 0.1 mfd. Resistor 65 4700 ohms. Resistor 68 820,000 ohms. Resistor 69 270,000 ohms,

Resistor 1.8... ..igflnfififlhmsz- Tube til; v 103E3 1. Capacitor, 8t" .30-240m nf: Capacitor; 19 0.002'-mid. Resistor 8.l' 0-20,'000.ohms. Capacitor 93. 0:25'mfd. Resiston-EE; 820,0iohms; Capacitor 04:. 0:02mfdf. Resistor 9L, 150, 0007ohms. Resistor 3:0 150;000 ohms. Tubeisections" 00: and 8L. Type; 6SNGT.. Resistorr- 8.6, 2.7megohins: Capacitor 95a .05.;mfd. Resistor 91 250,000. ohms variable. Resistor 90--- 0,0.00.-ohms..

.. 1. ,000 ohms- Capacitor fis wu n 2200 mini, Capacitor. 82 5 mmf Res-istor.tl 7-. 560,000.. ohms. Resistor- 05- 150,000. ohms. Capacitor I03- 0.01 mid. Resistorl04- 22,000 ohms. Resistor. 105-. 120,000 ohms; Resistor. E'HLw 1000 ohms. Capacitor.8A. 1, '001mmf. Capacitor I106 39'0 mmf. Capacitor l.fi3 u 1'0-160mmf. Resistor. l.0L I megohm'. Resistor. l fi lfamuma, i'izohms. Tubel-0B Type BBGGG. Capacitor fill a. 5min. Resistor L09 82 ohms. Resistor. IZ'L. 4700 ohms. Capacitor 120; 0;05mfd'. Capacitor H0. a- 0.1 mffd'. Capacitor i241 0:05-mid: Resistor i2] l0;000ohms. Capacitor I05, 025* mfd'.

Tube I I18". Type GW l-G'Ifi Capacitor H51", l0'mid'; Capacitor |42 0.015 mid". Tube M3. Half of type" GAE-1'55 Tube I05; TypelZA-X'Ti Resistor M0 180 ohms. Resistor M'L V V 150,000 ohms. Resistor t lt; 100,000 ohms. Resistor I39 330,000 ohms. Resistor 14.! a.' 7000 ohmsv Capacitor I33- 0005 mid. Capacitor I 2:5mmii, variable. Tubeiifi 1' section. 12AX Resistor. Ml lmegohm.

Resistor 130i. -,,373,000ohms. Capacitor lii'L 4.? nimf- Resistor. l40;

1,00;000-ohms.

Capacitor 5.! corms; Resistor l'53 v., 10.000-ohms. Capacitor l5 l 0.005 mfd. Resistor lr 30.000ohms. Capacitor i5; 0.005 mid. Capacitor 4L 5000nimf. Ca acitor t3 5000 mmf. Resistor 4:2 ohms.

V fnile therehas been shown and described What is at'present-considered to bathe preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications" and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims- We claim:

1. Anautomatic gain. control system, for use with a television receiver. on the. type includinga gain controlledvideo. channel, a video dea lineefrequencyi defieotion. system-.' providing a. source ofiline-frequency -pll1SeS,'-COm'.':-

prising-j. the combin ation. of;- anelectrom tube hay.- ins" anode; cathodeand grid: electrodesafor. plates.

rectifying said pulses, means. including a. series. grid resistors havings'a. valueihi-gh: with respect. to thecathodeegrid'impedance: of. saiditubeii'or. court.

plingtsaidfletector to the gridcirouitof S&id'.tllb;

so.= as to. apply to said circuit; the detected signal, a source. of; fixed E negative bias; for said 1 grid, said: detector and coupling. means; and bias source:

being so. arrangedi that the peaks of; the syn- 'chronizing signal. componentsrender said: tube; conductive and that: the; region. between: those; peaks and the-grid circuit limiting. condition is very. narrow, whereby noise peaks. extending in theedirection. Off and beyond said synchronizing;

component. peaks-rare limited, an inductance coupled to-said. line frequency pulse source for applyingto said anode saidspulses. of line-frequency. resistor: means effectively inseries withsaid. in-- ductance for'applyingto said anodea. fiXed positive bias and for differentially combining said positive bias 'andltheirectified pulses appearing atsaidL anode,,the output potential of the last,

mentioned resistor means being positive with respect to ground-at zero. video. signal level and be coming less-positive andfinally negative as the: video signal level is increased,,a shunt capacitor; cooperating with, said resistormeans to form a shorttime constant filter {or said rectified pulses, means in shunt with said. diiierentiali-comhining resistor'for applying saidoutput potential to the controlledstages as an amplified AGC potential only when it is of negative polarity. comprising a series combination. of a diode and a, resistor having. a value great with respect to the; resistance of said diode, one terminal of said resistor being; connected to said cliiTerential-combining resistor means, whereby the plate-rectification current. of said electron tube; has. substantially departed from;the cut-oft condition into a region; of high gain; whenr said:outputiisapplied to. thecontrolled. stages, anda capacitor in shunt-with said o ndeooperatinsw h he: a -named.

resistorform a long: time-constant filter for; saidaoutputpotential.

2; Anautomatic gain. control system, for use. witha-- television receiver of the: type including a: gainecontrolled video channel, a; video detector and a line-frequency deflection system; providing,

a source of line-frequency pulses, comprising the; combination; of an. electron; tube having anode,

cathode and. grid electrodes for; plate rectifying said pulses, means including aseries grid resistor having avalue high with. respectto the cathodegridimpedence of; said tube. for coupling, said de-. tector to: the grid. circuit of. said tube, so as to apply to said circuit thedetected-signal, a sourceof fixednegative' bias for saidgrid sa-id detector and coupling; means and bias; source being so arrangedthat the peaksof. thesynchronizing signal components; render said. tube-conductive andthat the: region between those peaks and theg-rid cirw cuit limitingcondition isvery narrow, whereby y integrating the. latter, the: output potential of. the

last-mentioned means being positive :with respect to ground at zero video signal level and becoming less positive and finally negative as the video signal level is increased,.means for long timeconstant integrating said output potential, and means including a diode having its anode D. C. coupled to said positive bias means and to said combining means for applying said output potential to the controlled stages as an AGO potential only when it is of negative polarity, whereby the plate-rectification current of said electron tube has substantially departed from the cut-off condition when said output is applied to the controlled stages.

3. An. automatic gain control system, for use with a television receiver of the type including a gain-controlled video channel, a video detector and a line-frequency deflection system providing a source of line-frequency pulses, comprising the combination of an electron tube having anode, cathode and grid electrodes for plate-rectifying said pulses, means including a series grid resistor having a value high with respect to the cathode-grid impedance of said tube for coupling said detector to the grid circuit of said a.)

tube, so as to apply to said circuit the detected signal, a source of fixed negative bias for said grid, said detector and coupling means and bias source being so arranged that the peaks of the synchronizing signal components render said .3

tube conductive and that the region between those peaks and the grid circuit limiting condition is very narrow, whereby noise peaks extending in the direction of and beyond said synchronizing component peaks are limited, means inductively coupled to said line-frequency pulse source for applying to said anode said pulses of line-frequency, means in series with the last-named means for applying to said anode a fixed positive bias, means in D. C. circuit with said anode for differentially combining said positive bias and the rectified pulses appearing at said anode, the output potential of the last-mentioned means being positive with respect to ground at zero video signal lever and becoming less positive and finally negative as the video signal level is increased,

and means in shunt with said differential-com bining means for applying said output to the controlled stages as an amplified AGO potential only when it is of negative polarity, comprising a series combination of a diode and a resistor having a value great with respect to the resistance of said diode, the last-mentioned resistor being connected between said diiTerential-combining means and the anode of said diode, whereby the plate-rectification current of said electron tube has substantially departed from the cut-ofi condition when said output is applied to the controlled stages, said diode having its anode in D. C. circuit with said positive bias means.

4. An automatic gain control system, for use with a television receiver of the type including a gain-controlled video channel, a video detector and a line-frequency deflection system providing a source of line-frequency pulses, comprising the combination of an electron tube having anode, cathode and grid electrodes for plate-rectifying said pulses, means including a series grid resistor having a value high with respect to the cathodegrid impedance of said tube for coupling said detector to the grid circuit of said tube, so as to apply to said circuit the detected signal, a source of fixed negative bias for said grid, said deflector and coupling means and bias source being so arranged that the peaks of the synchronizing signal components .rende'r said tube. conductive and that the region between thosepeaks and the grid circuit limiting condition is very narrow, whereby noise peaks extending in the direction of and beyond said synchronizing component peaks are limited, an inductance coupled to said line-frequency pulse source for applying to said anode said pulses of line-frequency, resistor means effectively in series with said inductance for applying to said anode a fixed positive bias and for difierentially combining said positive bias and the rectified pulses appearing at said anode, the output potential of the last-mentioned resistor means being positive with respect to ground at zero video signal level and becoming less positive and finally negative as the video signal level is increased, a shunt capacitor cooperating with said resistor means to form a short time-constant filter for said rectified pulses, means in shunt with said differential-combining resistor for applying said output potential to the controlled stages as an amplified AGC potential only when it is of negative polarity, comprising a series combination of a diode and a resistor having a value great with respect to the resistance of said diode, one terminal of said resistor being connected to said differential-combining resistor means, whereby the plate-rectification current of said electron tube has substantially departed from the cut-off condition into a region of high gain when said output is applied to the controlled stages, a capacitor in shunt with said diode and cooperating with the last-named resistor to form a long time-constant filter for said output potential, and a network for neutralizing the undesired voltage applied by the anode of said electron tube to its grid comprising a second inductance coupled to said line-frequency pulse source with opposite polarity to the first-mentioned inductance and a capacitor, both of said inductances and said capacitor being connected between the anode and grid of said electron tube.

FRANCIS A. WISSEL.

NORMAN W. PARKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,687,061 Bellescize Oct. 9, 1928 2,178,766 r Tolson Nov. 7, 1939 2,189,925 Reinken Feb. 13, 1940 2,197,900 Schlesinger Apr. 23, 1940 2,200,049 Van Loon May 7, 1940 2,203,043 Brown June 4, 1940 2,227,056 Blumlein et al Dec. 31, 1940 2,230,295 Holmes Feb. 4, 1941 2,250,559 Weber July 29, 1941 2,299,292 Allen Oct. 20, 1942 2,305,931 Martinelli Dec. 22, 1942 2,307,375 Blumlein et al. Jan. 5,1943 2,339,357 Holmes Jan. 25, 1944 2,402,096 Soiners June 11, 1946 2,520,012 Montgomery Aug. 22, 1050 2,529,428 Spielman Nov. '7, 1950 2,538,150 Farnham Jan. 16, 1951 2,547,648 Loughren Apr. 3, 1951 2,593,011 Cotsworth Apr. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 845,897 France Sept. 4, 1939 851,899 France Jan. 16, 1940 

